1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to actuator mechanisms, and in particular, to manually manipulable actuator mechanisms having a constrained range of motion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manually manipulable actuator mechanisms are commonly employed to actuate or facilitate the operation or function of electronic, electromechanical and mechanical systems. These manually manipulable actuator mechanisms include a wide variety of push buttons, switches, dials, sliders, knobs, triggers and other actuator mechanisms.
A primary consideration in the design of an actuator mechanism is the range of motion through which the actuator mechanism will be permitted to move when subjected to anticipated levels of manual force. The range of motion through which an actuator mechanism moves can influence consumer perception of the overall system because too much “play” in the actuator mechanism is often taken as an indication of poor system design and/or quality. Moreover, the failure to properly constrain the range of motion of the actuator mechanism can lead to breakage of the actuator mechanism or improper operation of the system, for example, if the actuator mechanism is subject to greater than necessary force or force in a direction other than that required to actuate the system.